OFFENBACH, Jacques 1819-1880

La vie parisienne opéra-bouffe en cinq actes Paroles de M.M. Henry Meilhac et Ludovic Halévy ... Partition piano et chant Arrrangée par Victor Boullard. Prix: 12f. net ... A Monsieur Marcelin. [Piano-vocal score]

Paris: E. Heu [PN E.H. 742], [1866].

Octavo. Dark red morocco-backed red textured cloth with blindstamped panel, raised bands on spine in ruled compartments gilt with titling gilt, marbled endpapers. 1f. (recto title printed in sepia within decorative border, verso blank), 1f. (recto named cast list and table of contents, verso blank), [1] (blank) [2]-291, [i] (blank) pp. Lithographed.

Named cast includes Brasseur, Hyacinthe, Gil Pérès, Priston, Lassouche, Martal and Ferdinand, Zulma Bouffar, C. Montaland, Honorine, Thierret, Paurelle, Massin, Bedard, Breton, and Henry.

Publisher's and musicseller's handstamps to lower portion of title.

Binding slightly worn, rubbed, bumped, and soiled. Some signs of internal wear; browned; light to moderate foxing; some dampstaining to outer margins; trimmed.

First Edition, first issue. Lesure II, p. 218. OCLC 82470995.

La vie parisienne, to a libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, was first performed in Paris at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal on 31 October 1866.

"The work was written in anticipation of the crowds visiting Paris for the 1867 Exhibition and proved one of the hits of the season. It was composed not for Offenbach’s usual company, but for that of the Palais-Royal, which comprised actors as much as singers – strengthened for the occasion by one of Offenbach’s favourite players, Zulma Bouffar, as the glovemaker Gabrielle. The piece recognizes the company’s limitations with music that is vocally less extensive and demanding than that Offenbach wrote for the Théâtre de la Gaîté. The musical strength lies rather in the sparkling orchestral melodies – above all, waltzes, galops and can-cans which, allied to a humorous libretto that was Meilhac and Halévy at their best, has made the work a perpetual favourite as a symbol of Second Empire gaiety. By the time the piece was revived at the Théâtre des Variétés on 25 September 1873 the fourth of the five acts had been dropped, but it is still sometimes included, as for instance at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in 1961." Andrew Lamb in Grove Music Online.

Item #25827

Price: $385.00  other currencies